Mayoral campaigns stoke dueling fires

Michael Hancock’s mayoral campaign issued an endorsement today from Denver firefighters slamming mailers to voters they said were sent by Chris Romer. Romer staffers immediately countered with their own firefighter endorsement while accusing Hancock of negative campaigning.

“At this point they’re deceiving people,” said Romer spokeswoman Laura Chapin. “They’re engaging in negative campaigning and deceiving people in the same way that they’ve been less than truthful about Hancock’s vote for pay raises.”

The mailers in question, one claiming Hancock voted for a pay raise for himself at the same time firefighters were agreeing to pay cuts, were not sent by the Romer campaign, but rather a 527 group called Citizens for Accountability. The mailings have been deemed as deceptive by numerous groups, including the Denver Post.

Romer has said there’s no connection between the Citizens for Accountability and his campaign; today, as he did on Monday, he denounced the mailings as “over the top.”

“I think it’s too bad Chris didn’t feel this way three weeks ago,” Hancock spokeswoman Amber Miller said. Miller said there was no need to issue a correction clarifying exactly who sent out the mailers because “there’s no difference in the mailers and what Chris has been saying during the campaign.”

“Attacks from Romer and the 527s are so similar there is no telling the difference,” Miller said in statement this morning. “We are addressing these attacks on our Clear the Air page and staying focused on Michael’s positive campaign for the future of Denver.”
The Romer campaign re-issued an earlier endorsement from the Denver branch of the national firefighter’s union; this came after a brief news conference in which the mayoral candidate picked up the support of Denver’s Fraternal Order of Police. During the briefing outside the Justice Center, Romer again displayed his newest toy, a personal video recorder (PVR) that he said he would distribute to every police officer in Denver.

Romer said the devices are presently being used in more than 1,100 jurisdictions, including San Francisco, Oakland, San Jose and St. Louis. Campaign co-chair Theresa Spahn said that since the year 2000, Denver has paid more than $20 million in settlements from lawsuits against the police.

“In the cities that use these, settlement payments have fallen by 50 percent,” Spahn said.

Those numbers failed to impress one passerby, who walked away from the gathering while muttering, “I’m not voting for those.”

“Obviously a lot of other people disagree,” Romer said with a chuckle. “We could pay for all of the PVRs in the department with one less excessive force judgment…I can’t wait to put in the order.”

At the conclusion of the news conference there were more questions for Romer regarding the mailings.

“We don’t control them; it’s free speech, but I don’t want them in the campaign,” he said.

Romer said he didn’t have an answer when asked if he thought voters in the June 7th election would nonetheless associate the mailers with his campaign–despite the denials.

Denver voters have rejected Chris Romer’s low life negative campaign. Someone should tell Romer that it is too late to turn the tables and attempt to accuse Michael Hancock of negative campaigning. Hancock has run a clean and very positive campaign and the voters know it.

Chris Romer is by far the better candidate. Don’t forget, Mr Hancock has had to apologize five times for intense negative campaigning on the part of his staffers. Who is best positioned to deal with our $100 million shortfall? Easy answer: Chris Romer.

Hancock is a good man, not qualified now for the job, but I am sure he will be at some point. If you have been to any of the debates, Romer has gone out of his way to compliment Hancock — particularly re his stance on education. The Post has it right, Romer is the most qualifed candidate. That’s why their editorial board has endorsed him– twice.

Chris Romer is a scumball.
He ran for state senate (almost unopposed), won, and then resigned the next day to run for mayor.
Now, my senator is a no-name doctor who was APPOINTED in a backroom (non-smoke filled) deal.

Chris Romer is an opportunist who does whatever it takes to advance his own interests. If he helps a few Denverites along the way, that’s incidental. Chris Romer is not a good fit for Mayor of Denver. He is too self centered.

Chris Romer is a scumball.
He ran for state senate (almost unopposed), won, and then resigned the next day to run for mayor.
Now, my senator is a no-name doctor who was APPOINTED in a backroom (non-smoke filled) deal.

Another campaign where both sides go negative. A shame because we have two pretty good mayoral candidates. In this brutal economy I fall on the side of having a business man in office rather than another political lifer. GregO

I just don’t know about this upcoming election… neither of the candidates really appeal to me, and with the election only six days away I really don’t know if I’m going to vote, it’s that bad.

Romer has all of these initiatives for schools, yet he sends his kids to one of the ritziest private schools in the city. And the idea of “PVR’s”… like that’s going to curb the DPD from acting the way that they do!

Hancock on the other hand seems to be hedging his entire campaign on being “buddy buddy” with all of the entrepreneurs, but I think that if he gets to the Mayor’s office he’s going to be so inundated with all of the other issues the City has that he’ll end up being ineffective.

Denver Post’s Columnist Mike Littwin said it like it is: If Romer
went negative, an independent group — Citizens for Accountability,
whoever they are — went over the top, with nasty mailers and deceptive
push polling that has been a disaster for Romer.
After the Post poll, Romer disavowed the unaccountable Citizens for
Accountability, but the timing is a little suspect. Besides, I don’t
know how Romer makes the negativity go away at this point.
But, in any case, whoever is behind the campaign made a disastrous
misreading of the Denver electorate in the Hickenlooper era. Romer
needed an issue. He still needs an issue. Read more: Littwin: Hancock embraced inner underdog – The Denver Post http://www.denverpost.com/littwin/ci_18186001#ixzz1O8LCIfWN
Read The Denver Post’s Terms of Use of its content: http://www.denverpost.com/termsofuse

Denver Post’s Columnist Mike Littwin said it like it is: If Romer
went negative, an independent group — Citizens for Accountability,
whoever they are — went over the top, with nasty mailers and deceptive
push polling that has been a disaster for Romer.
After the Post poll, Romer disavowed the unaccountable Citizens for
Accountability, but the timing is a little suspect. Besides, I don’t
know how Romer makes the negativity go away at this point.
But, in any case, whoever is behind the campaign made a disastrous
misreading of the Denver electorate in the Hickenlooper era. Romer
needed an issue. He still needs an issue. Read more: Littwin: Hancock embraced inner underdog – The Denver Post http://www.denverpost.com/littwin/ci_18186001#ixzz1O8LCIfWN
Read The Denver Post’s Terms of Use of its content: http://www.denverpost.com/termsofuse

The reason the PVRs inhibit brutality is because of the video record they create. They have been very effective in other cities where they have been used. BTW, Romer went to East HS. Please consider his record on education. Hancock has some good ideas but Romer has worked behind the scenes for years to provide quality education for the underprivleged. I hope you will consider voting for him.

Joey Bunch has been a reporter for 28 years, including the last 12 at The Denver Post. For various newspapers he has covered the environment, water issues, politics, civil rights, sports and the casino industry.